Audio, fax and modem capabilities with a digital signal processor of a sound card of a computer system

Abstract

An optional card including a digital signal processor (DSP) for use by a modem daughter board, where the modem daughter board is equipped with a data access arrangement (DAA) for upgrading a computer system to include modem and facsimile capabilities. The optional card may preferably be a sound board including a DSP and bus controller for interfacing with the I/O bus of the computer system, and a coder-decoder (CODEC) and connector for receiving and interfacing the daughter board modem to the DSP. In an alternative embodiment, the DSP is provided on the system board coupled to the host bus or the I/O bus of the computer system, and the modem functions, including a CODEC and DAA, are provided on an optional modem card. The CODEC includes logic for transferring digitized analog data to main memory as controlled by the CPU of the computer system. Modem software is provided to control communications and transfer of data in any of the embodiments.

1. An apparatus for providing audio and modem and fax processing capabilities to a computer system having an I/O bus, the modem and fax capabilities used with a telecommunications link, said apparatus comprising:
 an option card, comprising: 
 means for interfacing with said I/O bus for transferring data;  
 a digital signal processor on said option card coupled to said interfacing means for performing a plurality of audio processing functions for the computer system;  
 a daughter board connector connected to said digital signal processor; and  
 a daughter board connectable to the telecommunications link and removably connected through said daughter board connector to said digital signal processor on said option card, said daughter board having circuitry which when combined with said digital signal processor loaded with modem and fax software adds modem and fax functions to said computer system.  
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said computer system includes memory for storing modem software used for controlling said digital signal processor on said option card. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said daughter board comprises
 a coder-decoder coupled to said digital signal processor when said daughter board is connected to said option card;  
 a data access arrangement coupled to said coder-decoder; and  
 a phone jack coupled to said data access arrangement for connecting to said telecommunications link, wherein said digital signal processor on said option card interfaces with said data access arrangement through said coder-decoder.  
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said computer system includes a host bus and a bus controller coupled between said host and I/O buses for interfacing said host bus to the I/O bus, said interfacing means further comprising:
 a bus interface operating as a slave to the computer system bus controller for transferring data between said option card and the computer system host bus; and  
 a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter coupled to said bus interface and for coupling to the I/O bus.  
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said digital signal processor on said option card includes means for performing error correction on data received from said daughter board, and further includes means for performing data compression and decompression. 
     
     
       6. A computer system, comprising:
 a host bus;  
 a digital signal processor coupled to said host bus, said digital signal processor including means for performing audio signal processing functions for said computer system, the digital signal processor being loaded with modem and fax software;  
 an I/O bus including I/O slots for receiving option cards;  
 means coupled between said host bus and said I/O bus for controlling data transfer between said host and I/O buses; and  
 an option card coupled to said I/O bus, said option card including means for performing data modem and facsimile operations, said data modem and facsimile operations means communicating with said digital signal processor through said data transfer means for conditioning modem and facsimile data received by said option card.  
 
     
     
       7. The computer system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a CPU coupled to said host bus;  
 memory coupled to said host bus and loaded with modem software for execution by said CPU; and  
 wherein said CPU controls data transfer using said data transfer controlling means and indicates to said digital signal processor when said memory contains data received from said option card.  
 
     
     
       8. The computer system of  claim 6 , wherein said option card comprises
 a coder-decoder interface device;  
 a data access arrangement coupled to said coder-decoder interface device; and  
 a phone jack coupled to said data access arrangement.  
 
     
     
       9. The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein said coder-decoder interface device includes bus slave logic for transferring data between said option card and said host bus as controlled by said data transfer controlling means. 
     
     
       10. The computer system of  claim 6 , wherein said digital signal processor includes means for performing error correction on data received from said option card, and further includes means for performing data compression and decompression. 
     
     
       11. A computer system, comprising:
 a host bus;  
 an I/O bus including I/O slots for receiving option cards;  
 a digital signal processor coupled to said I/O bus, said digital signal processor including means for performing audio signal processing functions for said computer system, the digital signal processor being loaded with modem and fax software;  
 means coupled between said host bus and said I/O bus for controlling data transfer between and for allowing access of said host and I/O buses; and  
 an option card coupled to said I/O bus, said option card including means for performing data modem and facsimile operations, said data modem and facsimile operations means communicating with said digital signal processor through said data transfer means for conditioning modem and facsimile data received by said option card.  
 
     
     
       12. The computer system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a CPU coupled to said host bus;  
 memory coupled to said host bus and loaded with modem software for execution by said CPU; and  
 wherein said CPU controls data transfer using said data transfer controlling means and indicates to said digital signal processor when said memory contains data received from said option card.  
 
     
     
       13. The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein said option card comprises
 a coder-decoder interface device;  
 a data access arrangement coupled to said coder-decoder interface device; and  
 a phone jack coupled to said data access arrangement.  
 
     
     
       14. The computer system of  claim 13 , wherein said coder-decoder interface device includes bus slave logic for transferring data between said option card and said host bus as controlled by said data transfer controlling means. 
     
     
       15. The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein said digital signal processor includes means for performing error correction on data received from said option card, and further includes means for performing data compression and decompression. 
     
     
       16. A computer system adapted for audio capability and modem and fax capability, the system comprising:
 a sound card, comprising: 
 a digital signal processor;  
 a memory coupled to the digital signal processor storing modem and fax software and sound card software; and  
 
 a modem board coupled to the sound card, the modem board comprising: 
 a coder/decoder coupled to the digital signal processor; and  
 a data access arrangement coupled to the coder/decoder,  
 
 wherein the digital signal processor both provides modem and fax capability in connection with the modem board and the modem and fax software and provides audio capability in connection with the sound card software.  
 
     
     
       17. A computer system adapted for audio capability and modem and fax capability, the system comprising:
 a digital signal processor;  
 a memory coupled to digital signal processor storing modem and fax software and sound card software;  
 a first coder/decoder coupled to the digital signal processor;  
 a mixer coupled to the first coder/decoder; and  
 a modem board coupled to the digital signal processor, the modem board comprising: 
 a second coder/decoder coupled to the digital signal processor; and  
 a data access arrangement coupled to the second coder/decoder,  
 
 wherein the digital signal processor both provides modem and fax capability in connection with the modem board and the modem and fax software and provides audio capability in connection with the sound card software.  
 
     
     
       18. A computer system adapted for audio capability and modem and fax capability, the system comprising:
 a host bus;  
 a central processor coupled to a host bus;  
 a digital signal processor coupled to the host bus;  
 a main memory coupled to the host bus and storing modem and fax software and sound card software; and  
 a modem card coupled to the digital signal processor, the modem card comprising: 
 a coder/decoder coupled to the digital signal processor; and  
 a data access arrangement coupled to the coder/decoder,  
 
 wherein the digital signal processor both provides modem and fax capability in connection with the modem card and the modem and fax software and provides audio capability in connection with the sound card software.